on. And what's that--just the
nails I want? I'll give you a job as helper, young woman!"

That remark was addressed to Bessie, who flushed with pleasure at the
thought that she was playing a part, however small, in the building of
the house. And, indeed, the girls all did their part, and their help was
royally welcomed by the men.

Quickly the skeleton of the house took form, and by noon, when work was
to be knocked off for an hour, the whole framework was up.

"I simply wouldn't have believed it, if I hadn't seen it with my own
eyes!" said Eleanor. "It's the most wonderful thing I ever saw!"

"Oh, shucks!" said Jud, embarrassed by such, praise. "There's lots of
us--I don't think we've done so awful well. But it does look kind of
nice, don't it?"

"It's going to be a beautiful house," said Mrs. Pratt. "And to think of
what the place looked like yesterday! Well, Jud Harkness, I haven't any
words to tell you what I really think, and that's all there is to it!"

For an hour or more Margery and her helpers had been busy at the big
fire. At Eleanor's suggestion two of the men had stopped work on the
house long enough to put up a rough, long table with benches at the
sides, and now the table was groaning with the fine dinner that Margery
had prepared.

"Good solid food--no fancy fixings!" Eleanor had decreed. "These men
burn up a tremendous lot of energy in work, and we've got to give them
good food to replace it. So we don't want a lot of trumpery things, such
as we like!"

She had enforced a literal obedience, too. There were great joints of
corned beef, red and savory; pots of cabbage, and huge mounds of boiled
potatoes. Pots of mustard were scattered along the table, and each man
had a pitcher of fine, fresh milk, and a loaf of bread, with plenty of
butter. And for dessert there was a luxury--the only fancy part of the
meal.

Eleanor had had a whispered conference with Tom Pratt early in the day,
as the result of which he had hitched up and driven into Cranford, to
return with two huge tubs of ice-cream. He had brought a couple of boxes
of cigars, too, and when the meal was over, and the men were getting out
their pipes, Eleanor had gone around among them.

"Try one of these!" she had urged. "I know they're good--and I know that
when men are working hard they enjoy a first-class smoke."

The cigars made a great hit.

"By Golly! There's nothing she don't think of, that Miss Mercer!" said
Jud Harkness appreci